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twenty reporter//

The interim government has taken steps to collect information on the financial assets of 31 people including 6 former influential ministers, 5 former members of parliament (MP) and their wives, children and associates of the recently fallen Awami League government. In this, the search for all types of financial resources in the country and abroad has started. For this purpose, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has sent a letter abroad asking for information about the financial assets of those individuals and their business establishments.

The BFIU will collect this information and provide it to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other intelligence agencies. They will investigate according to their respective field of work. Already, these agencies have started working to collect intelligence information. This information has been obtained from multiple related sources.

According to sources, so far six influential former ministers have been sent letters abroad seeking information. Among them are former Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Law Minister Anisul Haque, former State Minister for Information Muhammad Ali Arafat, former State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak and former Lands Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed. Letters have been sent abroad mentioning the names of spouses, children, interested persons and business establishments of each of them. In the letter, it has been requested to inform them if there are any immovable and immovable assets in their name.

MPs include Mirza Azam of Jamalpur-3 seat, Jannat Ara Henry of Sirajganj-2 seat, Fahmi Golandaz Babel of Mymensingh-10 seat, Shafiqul Islam Shimul of Natore-2 seat and Mohiuddin Maharaj of Pirojpur-1 seat. Information on the financial assets of each of the former MPs has been sought in the names of spouses, children, related persons and business establishments. There are 11 ministers and MPs. There are 20 others with their wives, children and associates. Financial information of 31 people has been sought.

Apart from the Minister-MP, there are also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Citizen Bank Toufika Aftab, the Deputy Minister of Law, the wife and children of the Foreign Minister, the Home Minister and two children, the wife and two children of the Law Minister, the wife and two children of the Minister of State for Lands, the wife and two children of the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, the wife of the Minister of State for Information. . A letter has been given mentioning the names of each of them. Financial information has also been sought in their names.

According to sources, the Awami League government was in power for the last 15 years. At that time, they have built huge wealth through corruption, bribery and commission trade. Most of them were smuggled abroad. With those resources, they are also doing business abroad. This has caused a great financial loss to the country. One of the reasons for the dollar crisis in the country for the last two and a half years and the unbridled rise in inflation is money laundering. To restore stability to the country’s economy, the new government has taken steps to bring back the laundered money. That is why the information of financial assets has been requested in their name.

In the preliminary investigation of BFIU and other intelligence agencies, a huge amount of money and wealth has been found in the name of the 31 people in the country and abroad. That is why the information has now been formally sought. Asset information is being collected from banks and financial institutions of the country in their names as well as abroad. Besides, information on other resources is also being taken. These data will be collected from BFIU and provided to ACC and related intelligence agencies. In light of this, the agencies will investigate further and file a case against the accused.

According to sources, the BFIU has forwarded the names of the individuals to the Egmont Group, an international money laundering agency. Bangladesh is a member of Egmont Group. The financial intelligence units of 177 countries of the world are members of this group. The countries where most money is being smuggled from Bangladesh are members of this group. If a specific country requests information from this group, they collect and provide information from the respective member countries. Through this BFIU collected information of many individuals.

Besides, BFIU has signed MoUs with 81 countries. Under this there is an opportunity to collect country wise data.

It is known that former law minister Anisul Haque has smuggled money abroad through a private bank.

Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed’s late father Aktaruzzaman Chowdhury Babur had a business establishment with a house in London. These were later expanded by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed. He is building a five-star hotel in Dubai. In addition, there are businesses in his name in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Before the last election, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said in a press conference that a minister of the government has more than 2,300 crores worth of investments and business abroad. Later it is known that the minister is Saifuzzaman Chowdhury.

He built a luxurious house called Jannati Palace in Natore after Shafiqul Islam’s wife. Also has a luxury home in Canada. Besides, there is also money as a bank. In addition, there are anonymous assets in the United States, Malaysia and Thailand.

According to the sources, apart from this, the information of huge wealth has been found in the name of former ministers, MPs and business leaders of the ousted government in the country and abroad. The BFIU is investigating them through its own intelligence sources. Then the information will be formally requested.